Machine for sorting and counting coins



July 7, 1942. R. B. FLL-:Mms Erm. 2,239,002

MACHINE FOR SORTING AND COUNTING COINS Filed June 2, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 im( f l. iff ff v .25W/venan?,

July 711942 R. B. FLEMING x-:T A. 2,289,002

MACHINE FOR SORTING AND COUNTING CO`INS Filed June 2, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO R N EY MACHINE FOR soR'rING AND ouNTING coINs Filed Jus-1e 2. 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 y Inven OTJ',

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ATTORNEY July .7, 1942.

R. B. FLEMING x-:fr-.mi 2,289,902 MACHINE FOR SORTING AND COUNTING COINS Filed June 2. 193s 4 `*sheets-sheet 4 i l 161i 53 70 54 Z0 f Z5 24 63' III l", u I 1 Illu!!! "f p-g 4 "-`h- 79 ATTO R N EY Patented `l'uly 7, 1942 MACHINE FOR SORTING AND COUNTING COINS Robert B. Fleming, Kenmore, and Ernest Kronson, Buffalo, N. Y.; said Fleming assigner to said Kronson n Application June 2, 1939, Serial No. 277,042

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to certain new and useful improvements in coin handling machines, but more particularly to machines for sorting and counting coins.

It has for one of its objects to provide a manually-operated machine of this character which is simple, compact and inexpensive in construction, and which is so designed as to efliciently and accurately sort and count the coins ready for packaging in a suitable receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable coin-sorting and counting machine having novel means for effectually and quickly assorting the various denominations of coins and for selectively delivering the sorted coins to the coin-counting mechanism, and means for automatically controlling the release of the respective denomination coin-delivering means when` a predetermined number of coins have been counted by the counting device.

Another object of the invention is to provide effective means for ejecting from the respective denominational coin-delivery mechanisms coins of smaller size than those intended, and thereby eliminate any danger of delivering such smaller size coins to the counting mechanism.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of the coin-sorting and counting machine embodying my invention. Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof. Figure 3 is a front elevation of the same. Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially in the plane of line 4 4, Figure 2, the coin-sorting drum being in its operative tilting position for discharging the coins therefrom. Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section, showing the coin-sorting drum in its upright position. Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal section taken substantially in the plane of line 6 6, Figure 4. Figure 7 is a fragmentary, vertical section, similar to Figure 4, showing one of the coin delivery and counting units in its released position after discharging a predetermined number of counted coins into the companion receiving tube. Figure 8 is an enlarged horizontal section taken substantially in the plane of line 8 8, Figure 4, and showing the position of the coin and associated parts in counting position and just prior to the discharge of the coin into a companion coin-receiving tube. Figure 9 is a cross section taken on line 9 9, Figure 8. Figure 10 is a fragmentary horizontal section, similar to Figure 8, showing a modification designed to prevent jamming of the coins in the coin slide. Figure 11 is a vertical section taken substantially on line II I I, Figure 10.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the drawings, I5 indicates a supporting base or platform on which is pivotally mounted a frame I6 which carries the working parts of the coin-sorter and coin-counting mechanism. This frame is preferably of substantially rectangular shape in plan, being provided at its lower rear side with depending ears Il which are pivoted to a horizontal pivot shaft i8 supported in bearing lugs I9 rising from the platform I5. Rising from the rear top side of the frame I6 is a bracket 20 on which the coinsorting unit, indicated generally at 2l, is mounted, The frame I6 is normally supported or retained by gravity in the horizontal position and the coin sorter in the forwardly-inclined position shown by full lines in Figures l and 4 by means of a depending stop arm 22 abutting against a stop lug 23 rising from the platform, while during the coin-sorting operation these parts are adapted to be shifted to and assume the positions shown by dotted lines in Figure l and are held by means of an arm 24 extending rearwardly from the lower end of the frame-bracket 20 for engagement with a pivoted latch bar 25 having a spring 26 bearing thereon for constantly urging such latch to a latching position. In this position of the parts, the coin-sorting unit assumes a substantially upright position, and the coins are dropped into it in promiscuous fashion to be properly sorted according to their denominations.

The coin sorting unit is preferably constructed as follows:

Attached to the bracket 20 is a cylindrical drum 21 which is closed at its bottom and open at its upper end and journaled axially of this drum and extending through it is a shaft 28 on which are mounted for rotation therewith a plurality of axially-disposed coin-sorting disks 29 having coin perforations 30 therein. The perforations in these disks are successively smaller from the uppermost to the lowermost disk so that the largest sized coins remain above the uppermost disk, the next largest coins remain on the next lower disk and so on. These disks are adapted to be rotated in unison by a hand crank 3l journaled in a bearing bracket 32 depending from the drum 21 and having a bevel gear 33 thereon meshing with a similar gear 34 secured to the lower end of the disk-shaft 28. Formed in the side wall of the drum 21 and in planes immediately above the respective sorting disks 29, are

annular rows of slots which form end shoulders 36 and against which the coinsare directed by centrifugal force during the rotation of the disks to thereby intercept and deflect any smaller-sized coins, which may be temporarily lodged upon other coins, from such coins so as to be discharged through the disk-perforations to the next sorting compartment. These slots are somewhat shorter than the diameter of a dirne or of the smallest denomination of coin used. During the coin-sorting operation, the frame i6 is in the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 1 and by full lines in Figure 5, so that the disks revolve in a horizontal plane and the coins are evenly distributed thereon for assorting them eiectually. In the upright .position of the sorting drum the coins are prevented from being discharged by means of a vertically-adjustable gate 3l which is suitably guided at the front side of the drum and which has discharge slots 38 therein disposed in cooperative relation with the respective disks 29 so that in the tilted position of the drum these slots are disposed above the plane of the respective disks to permit the coins to be emptied therefrom. In the upright position of the drum the discharge slots 38 are disposed below the plane of the disks in the manner shown in Figure 5, so that the coins are retained therein. The movements of this coinreleasing gate are automatically controlled by the swinging movements of the frame to and from its tilted position, and to this end the lower end of the gate is pivotally connected to the upper end of a vertically-swinging link 39 which is similarly connected at d to the base plate l5 as shown in Figure 4 By this construction, when the frame l is swung from its full line position shown in Figure 4 to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1 or the full line position shown in Figure 5, the gate 3l is automatically lowered relatively to the sorting disks 29 to bring its discharge openingsV 33 to a point below registration with the disks, so that the coins are retained in the sorting drum during the sorting operation. When the frame I isl again lowered to the full line position shown in Figures 1 and 4, the gate 3l is automatically elevated to bring its 'discharge openings 38 above the plane of the respective sorting disks 29, so that the coins will iow by gravity through those respective 'discharge portsA into companion inclined chutes 4| radiating from the front side of the drum, the largest Size coins passing through the uppermost chute, the next largest coins passing through the chute immediately below the last-named one and so on. As shown in Figures l and 4, these chutesare pref,- erably pivoted at their inner ends at 42 to permit a slight vertical movement, and their outer or discharge ends are telescopically joined to the upper ends of companion, upright coin-receiving tubes i3 disposed in a row transversely of and rising from the frame IE5 and detachably tted in circular openings 44 formed in a horizontal frame-plate 45. These tubes are of different diameters to accommodate theV different-sized coins and from these tubes the coins are successively delivered to the counting mechanism which is preferably constructed as follows:

Slidably mounted in trackways 46 formed between the frame-plate and sub-plates 4l, are horizontally-movable coin-engaging slides 43 disposed side by side in cooperative or alined relation beneath the discharge ends of the respective coin-receiving tubes 43 and adapted to be reciprocated fore and aft of the machine to transfer the coins successively and intermittently from the bottom of the columns of coins to coin-discharge tubes 49 depending from the front end of the machine and from which tubes the counted coins are adapted to be discharged into suitable coin packages or wrappers. These slides are adapted to be reciprocated in unison or independently of one another, and for this purpose they are individually detachably connected at their rear ends to a common cross bar 59 having guide rods 5! adjacent its opposite ends supported in bearing sleeves 52 applied to the underside of the frame I6 and connected by arms 53 to cranks 54 secured to a horizontal actuating shaft 55 journaled in the frame and adapted to be actuated manually by a handle 555 applied to one of the cranks. The lowermost coin in any coin-receiving tube 43 is adapted to restV upon the companion sub-plate 4l in the retracted position of its cooperating coin slide 48, so that upon the forward stroke of the latter, it abuts the edge of the coin and propels it forwardly to a point in registration with a companion discharge opening 57 formed in the front end of the corresponding sub-plate and axially disposed over the upper end of the companion discharge tube 49. When the coin reaches this position in registration with the opening 51 it drops by gravity into its discharge tube.

During the transfer or travel of coins from the receiving tubes 43 to the companion discharge tubes 4S, the coins are adapted to actuate a mechanism for counting the coins as they are successively transferred, and for this purpose intermittently rotatable counting wheels 58 are provided, one associated with each denomination coin slide. Each counting wheel is individually mounted on a stub-shaft EQ applied to a bracket 6G mounted on the frame-plate 45 between the companion coin-openings 4 and 5l. These .counting wheels may vary in diameter in accordance with the denominationof coins to be counted, so that for each revolution of a given wheel it will count 01T a predetermined number of coins, say ten fifty-cent pieces, twenty twenty-v five cent pieces, nity ten-cent pieces, and twenty.

ve-cent pieces. Associated with each counting wheel is a worm gear ii! which meshes with a worm 62 mounted on an upright shaft 63 journaled in the companion bracket 60 and provided at its lower end with a four-pointed coin-actuat-V ing wheel iid which is disposed in the plane of and in the path of one side of the marginal edge of a coin as it is transferred by the coin slide 48,'

so that during the travel of the coin past this wheel, the coin will cause the wheel to be rotated a quarterof a revolution and in turn impart a fractional turning of the companion counting wheel 5S. In order that the coin slide, during itsV forward stroke, will not interfere with the movement of the wheel tilt, it is provided at its frontedge with a cut-out portion or recess 65, as shown this connection, the periphery'of each countingwheel may be provided with anl indicator mark such as"0, and a guard 'or ccver'plate 61 pref-f erably extends over these wheels andis provided in the plane of such wheels with wind0w`open-f` ings 63 through which the user may observe theindications and thereby determine the initial setting of the wheels. As shown in Figure '7, the shafts .63 extend through this cover plate with the operating knobs B above it.

After a predetermined number of coins of a given denomination have been counted and delivered to a companion discharge tube 49, that coin slide i3 associated therewith is adapted to be automatically released from the reciprocating cross bar d so that no further coins are transferred to such tube, such coin slide remaining idle during the subsequent reciprocating movements of the cross bar for actuating the other coin slides. To this end each coin slide is provided at its rear end with an abutment lug 69 adapted to normally bear against the front face of the cross bar 5d, and pivoted at 'i9 to the` top side of the slide forwardly of such lug is a verticallyswinging lever 'H having a rearwardly-extending latching arm iE which is adapted to overhang the cross bar in the manner shown in Figure 4, in which position the coin slide is normally coupled to the cross bar to reciprocate therewith with the lug 39 abutting the front face of such bar. Forwardy of the pivot lil, the lever 'il has a tappet arm i3 which is adapted to engage a trip pin 'lli projecting from the companion counting wheel 58, so that when a predetermined number of coins have been counted, and this pin is positioned in the path of forward travel of the tappet arm it causes the lever l to be rocked in a direction to release the latching arm l2 fromv the cross bar, thereby disconnecting the coin slide from it and preventing the passage of any more coins governed by that particular coin slide. shown in Figure '7, the latching lever is held in its released position by the wheel-pin i4 resting on the tappet arm i3 and remains in that position until the operator turns the counting wheel through the medium of the actuating knob 66 to its initial or starting position, at which time the pin is removed from the tappet arm and the lever swings downwardly by gravity into coupling engagement with the cross bar 5G when it reaches its next forward position. The tappet arms of the different levers may vary in length, as shown in Figure 6, so that they are actuated at the proper time by the companion counting wheel pins 14.

Should a smaller sized coin rind its way into any one of the given denomination coin-receiving chutes d3, it will, when it has reached a position in the path of the companion coin slide, be projected by that coin slide into register with a discharge or reject opening 'I5 which is arranged in the companion sub-plate 4l in advance of the proper coin-discharge opening 5l. Such opening is of smaller size than the proper coin opening 5l and of a size to permit the escapement of the smaller-sized coin through such opening, thereby preventing such small-sized coins being propelled and discharged into the associated discharge chute itil. Beneath each of these auxiliary discharge openings l5 is a trough 'i6 into which the smaller-sized coins drop and from which they can be removed from time to time and again dropped into the sorting drum 2'! for re-sorting.

Should thin coins of a smaller size than proper denominational coins find their way to any one of the receiving tubes s3 and tend to jam or interfere with the movements of the coin slides d, we provide a means for guarding against such a condition by holding the coin immediately above the lowest or thin coin against movement by the coin slide while the thin coin is propelled by the slide to the reject discharge opening '55. The

means for thus holding such coin is shown in Figures 10 and 1l and preferably consists of a laminated spring Tl projecting laterally into one side of the slide-way 45 and above the top surface of a thin coin positioned for propulsion by the slide, but in the plane of the coin immediately resting upon the thin coin. On the forward stroke of the coin slide, the thin coin will be shifted with it and the coin next about it will be held against movement by the spring il, thereby preventing jamming.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a coin handling machine, a frame having a row of openings therein for receiving coins of different denominations to be counted and companion openings spaced forwardly therefrom for the discharge of the counted coins, coin slides guided for reciprocatory movement on said frame for propelling the coins successively from the receiving openings to the companion discharge openings, a coin-counting wheel associated with each coin slide including a driven coin-actuated member operatively connected therewith and disposed in the path of the slide-propelled coin for advancing such Wheel a fraction of a revolution for each coin advanced by the slide, a reciprocating drive member common to the respective slides, means for releasably coupling each of said slides to said drive member, and means governed by the respective counting wheels for releasing the companion slides from the reciprocating drive member when such wheels are advanced a predetermined distance.

2. In a coin handling machine, a frame having a row of openings therein for receiving coins of different denominations to be counted and companion openings spaced forwardly therefrom for the discharge of the counted coins, coin slides guided for reciprocatcry movement on said frame for propelling the coins successively from the receiving openings to the companion discharge openings, a coin-counting wheel associated with each coin slide including a driven coin-actuated member operatively connected therewith and disposed in the path of a slide-propelled coin for advancing such wheel a fraction of a revolution for each coin advanced by the slide, a reciprocating drive member common to the respective slides, independent coupling levers applied t0 said slides, respectively, for releasable engagement with said drive member, and trip means on said counting wheels operatively engageable with the companion levers after a predetermined number of such movements for automatically actuating them to released position.

3. In a coin handling machine, a frame having a row of openings therein for receiving coins of different denominations to be counted and companion openings spaced forwardly therefrom for the discharge of the counted coins, coin slides guided for reciprocatory movement on said frame for propelling the coins successively from the receiving openings to the companion discharge openings, a coin-counting wheel associated with each coin slide including a driven coin-actuated member operatively connected therewith and disposed in the path of a slide-propelled coin for advancing such wheel a fraction of a revolution for each coin advanced by the slide, a reciprocating drive member common to the respective slides, a lever pivotally mounted on each of said slides having a latching arm at one side of its pivot for releasable coupling engagement with said drive member and a tappet arm at the other side of its pivot, and a trip pin applied to each of said counting Wheels for operative engagement at a predetermined time with the tappet arm of the companion slide-lever to swing it in a direction to release its latching arm from said drive member.

4. In a coin handling machine, a frame having a row of openings therein for receiving coins of different denominations to be counted and companion openings spaced forwardly therefrom for the discharge of the counted coins, coin slides guided for reciprocatory movement on said frame for propelling the coins successively from the receiving openings to the companion discharge openings, a coin-counting Wheel associated with each coin slide including a driven coin-actuated member operatively connected therewith and disposed in the path of a slide-propelled coin for advancing such Wheel a lfraction of a revolution for each coin advanced by the slide, a reciprocating drive member common to the respective slides, means governed by said counting wheels for releasably coupling the companion `coin slides to said drive member, and a hand-actuated element operatively connected to said coin-actuated member for pre-setting the companion counting Wheel to its initial position.

ROBERT B. FLEMING.

ERNEST KRONSON. 

